Method of fabrication of explosive missiles



Jan. 24, 1961 R. J. swlFT ETAL METHOD OF FABRICATION OF EXPLOSIVEMISSILES Filed Jan. 30, 1957 IN V EN TORS wee m snmmj La 4 7 r w a; n 86am i M w United States Patent 7 2,968,986 METHOD OF FABRICATION onEXPLOSIVE 'MISSILES Filed Jan. '30, 1957, Ser. No. 637,339

1 Claim. CI. 86-20) This invention relates to containers and shells, andmore particularly to ordnance shells having means for increasing thespalling or squash'on armor.

An object of the invention is the method of making high explosivecontainers or shells for withstanding strains and stresses vastly inexcess of ordinary containers whose deformations are controlled by theyield stress of the wall material. A further object'is the provision ofa triple walled high explosive shell utilizing a straining wall toperr'nit lateral deformation and squash eifect upon contact with armorbefore splitting.

A further object is the provision of an impervious high explosive shellor container surrounded by a second shell or container constructed topermit a predetermined material lateral expansion or increase indiameter of the shell upon impact of the forward end thereof with anobstruction, such as armor, to increase the spalling effect.

A further object of the invention is the provision and method of makingan explosive shell which comprises utilizing an impervious thin wallinner shell and surrounding the inner shell by a loosely braidedintermediate inclosure or container of interwoven metallic strands withthe strands disposed on a bias to the longitudinal axis of the innershell to function as a laterally yieldable restraining container whichpermits a material increase in diameter and for shortening thereof uponcontact of its forward end with an obstruction, such as armor.

A further object and method is the provision of an outer thin metallicshell spun over the intermediate braided shell or container to force theouter and inner surfaces of the intermediate braided shell into intimatecontact respectively with the inner and outer surfaces of the outer andinner shells.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and accompanying drawings in which likereference characters refer to like parts in the several figures of thedrawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of inner shell or body.

Figure '2 is a perspective view of the intermediate bfialiiled shell orbody, before assembling over the inner s e Figure 3 is a perspectiveview of the outer shell or body before assembling over the braidedintermediate braided and inner shells.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the shells and braided container in theprocess of being assembled.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the shells in assembled relation withthe outer shell spun or rolled on the inner shell and braided containerto bring the inner and outer shells into intimate contact with thebraided bias woven intermediate shell.

In the drawings the reference numerals 1, 2 and 3 denote respectivelythe inner shell or container, the intermediate braided shell orcontainer, and the outer shell or container.

The inner container or shell 1 is preferably a thin wall 2,968,986Patented Jan. 24, 1961 shell or war head open at its rear end to receivea high explosive powder charge and closed at its forward end to providean impervious container. The shape of the inner shell to a great extentgoverns the shape of the finished shell or war head and can be used toconvert all type of missile war heads into high explosiveplasticarmament that can utilize the spalling principle to defeat armor. Theinner shell may be made of thin wall spun metallic material such asaluminum and adapted to split.

The intermediate container or shell 2 is composed of a fairly looselybraided tubular body having warp and woof strands disposed on a 45 biasto its longitudinal axis. .It is a'cylinder of braided wire (somewhatsimilar to the shielding used on electrical cables) but preferablystronger andheavier and preferably is compressed at right angles to itscircular cross section and is slipped or forced over the preformed innershell 1.

. This comprises a geodetic liner of braided wire which is utilized as astraining wall since this material exhibits the property ofsubstantially stress-free deformation. Thus if the intermediatecontainer 2 of braided wire is compressed longitudinally by contact atits front end with an obstruction, such as armor, a material increase indiameter (and a decrease in length) will result before rupture, eventhough the inner and outer thin containers split longitudinally.

The extent of the deformation depends, naturally, on the orientation ofone braided strand to the other and the tightness of the woven materialbefore and after compression. As shown, the braided container has thestrands thereof disposed on a substantially 45 bias to the longitudinaldimension or axis of the container as shown in Figure 2. The outercontainer 3 is preferably also a thin wall spun aluminum shell which maysplit longitudinally after extreme deformation of the braidedintermediate container 2. As shown in the drawing the outer container istelescoped over the inner shell 1 and the braided container 2 with asnug sliding fit requiring some force, to seat the forward end of theouter container on the forward end of the braided container 2.

After the outer shell 3 has been forced home over the inner shell 1 andintermediate braided container 2 the outer shell 3 is preferably rolledor spun down tight on the braided container 2 to force the inner andouter surfaces respectively of the braided container 2 into intimatecontact with the outer and inner surface of the inner and outercontainers 1 and 3'.

The shape of the final shell or container is somewhat optional,depending upon the use to which it is employed,

it may be more streamlined in connection with high explosive ordinanceshells than with bombs and some types of missiles. Of course the initialshape of the preformed inner thin metallic shell 1 determinessubstantially the final shape of the finished outer shell. In the methodof making the high explosive shells of the subject invention which havea high yieldable lateral deformation characteristic the inner shell orliner is first spun out of thin material such as aluminum to form a highexplosive container or war head of the desired shape.

A braided container composed of wire strands woven to dispose thestrands on a bias to its longitudinal axis is now slipped over the innercontainer 1 so as to inclose the inner container within the braidedmetallic cylindrical container.

The thin metallic cylindrical container 3 preferably of thin guagealuminum is next fabricated so as to slip snugly over the exterior ofthe braided container or cylinder 2.

The outer shell 3 is now spun or rolled down toward the inner shell 1 toforce the inner braided surface into intimate contact with the outersurface of the inner shell 1 and simultaneously force the inner surfaceof the outer shell into intimate contact with the outer surface of thebraided container 2.

The inner shellrmay now be loaded with a high explosive and its rear endclosed. Upon projection thereof and the'forward end striking anobstruction such as armor or a tank the braided hias woven wirecylindrical container will allow the shell ,to materially expand indiameter'before bursting and thus materially increase the spellingeffect on a rmorL Convention detonation means, not shown, for theexplosiye chargem ay be employed.

'The'aboye description and accompanying drawings are for exemplary,rather than restrictive purposes, and therefore it is evident that thoseskilled in the art, may vary the details of construction as well as thearrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention'and therefore wedo not wish to be limited to the abovedisclosure, except asmay, be required by the claims.

[The method of explosiye missile fabrication to incr'ease'thespallingeffect of the missile on armor comprising, inclosing an innerthin walled elongated cylindrical receptacle adapted to contain anexplosive with a loosely braided elongated wire stranded cylindricalintermediate container withthe wire braided strands disposedton a.biasto the longitudinal axis of the inner receptacle and said intermediatecontainer compressed 4 laterally into encircling contact with the outersurface of the inner receptacle, inclosing said intermediate biasbraided wire container with; a closely fitting outer thin walledelongated metal receptacle, and spinning said outer receptacle over thelength of said intermediate bias woven metallic receptacleuto force theinner surface of the intermediate braided wire container into intimatecontact with the outer surface of "the inner receptacle throughoutsubstantially the length thereof and loadns t i e e t t 'en XP1QYewherby when the missile is projected against arrnor theubiashwovensleeve will .be expanded transverse, to its longitudinal axis to causesplitting of the thinwalled outer receptacle and increase the spallingeffect onthe armor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

